On the second day of Zhang Bang's post, Dian Wei guarded Zhou Zhao and Wu Jiao went out to play with a few children, Deng Zhong went to check on the city wall, and Deng Ji recruited Sun Guan to talk to Taishou Mansion.

Zhang Liao and Han Song were not invited, and invited Sun Guan alone to invite him to the table, but Deng Ji himself did not take a seat, only paced back and forth in the hall and muttered, without saying a word for a long time.

Seeing Deng Ji's embarrassed appearance, Sun Guan was also a little stunned, and couldn't help but ask first: "I don't know what the lord is recruiting something?" ”

Deng Ji stopped, turned around and walked to his seat, sat cross-legged on the ground, looked at Sun Guan with his eyes, and said: "There is something today, I want to ask for Zhongtai, but I am afraid that Zhongtai will be embarrassed!" ”

Sun Guan was shocked and wanted to stand up: "Since the lord speaks about things, the order can be given, and the subordinates dare not go to their lives?" What is it used to find words? ”

Deng Ji stretched out his hand and pressed him back to the seat, and after a while, Fang said: "Zhongtai has thrown himself under my command, he has encountered hard battles, and his brother has also died in battle. ”

Sun Guan hurriedly defended: "A certain brother and friend came to vote, the lord didn't care about stupidity, and entrusted it to drive before, and he was already grateful!" My brother died in battle, and he died as he deserved, not the fault of the lord, and his merit was not something that could be both, so he made some small contributions, how dare he hope for the general's position! ”

Deng Ji shook his head: "Meritorious service is not rewarded, the fault of the master!" The general position of the unified army is not idle, and I originally wanted to be promoted to Zhongtai to General Guoyi, but I did not intend to be killed suddenly, and no one can lead the naval army......"

Originally, among the lieutenants of the Fourth Army, only one of the merits was slightly inferior. In this expansion of the army, Che Huang and Xu Sheng, two older seniors, had to be promoted to lead the army, and the only grandson was not moved, and Deng Ji discussed it with Tian Feng and others. I plan to wait until the expansion is done. still promoted Sun Guan to General Guoyi. But now the navy is really short of people, and there are only landlubbers on the shelves.

Hearing this, Sun Guan opened his mouth in disbelief.

There are many generals in the army like him who come from the north, and because of the four words "not accustomed to water warfare", no one has ever thought of transferring to the navy.

Deng Ji was also helpless at this time, anyone who was doing a good job in a familiar and good field was suddenly transferred to a completely unfamiliar industry, and he had to learn everything from scratch. I don't think I'm too happy.

Seeing Sun Guan hesitate, Deng Ji said: "This is my private request, and there is no third person who can know about it!" If Zhongtai really doesn't want to, there is no need to be embarrassed, I will ask others again! ”

Among the current generals and colonels in Sizhou, no matter who asks for this matter, it will be difficult, and Deng Ji's posture is so low, he actually uses the word "ask", and the main worry will be the death of the minister, and Sun Guan can't refuse at all. I had to grit my teeth and respond: "Don't worry, don't worry, you can do it reluctantly!" ”

Deng Ji was overjoyed: "De Zhongtai said this." I'm relieved! ”

After waiting for a while, Sun Guan was silent and did not speak, and Deng Ji persuaded again: "Zhongtai is attentive to things, and he plans slowly, don't worry!" Within one year, the soldiers of the Hengjiang River can be refined, and within the age of two they can advance and retreat, and they will be familiar with water battles within three years old! In the first two years of age, I will not use water armies, but if there is any doubt, you can say anything to me! ”

Hearing Deng Ji say this, Sun Guan really let go of his burden, and if he didn't believe that he couldn't train an elite navy, he asked: "There are no naval warships, when will the last general take office?" ”

Deng Jidao: "Guan Cheng is dead, the navy is leaderless, it cannot last, and Zhongtai will be the best in three or five days!" ”

Sun nodded: "No! But who will replace him in the old position? ”

Each military Guoyi school is equivalent to a standing death squad, and the brave cannot be lightly trusted, this question Deng Ji naturally considered, and replied: "Wei Wenchang, the new captain of the Hengye Army, is very brave, and since Zhongtai should be down, I will send a document with the military advisor to transfer Wei Wenchang to the Weilie Army to replace Zhongtai; The Hengjiang Army has set up four Qushui captains, and they should also be replenished one after another. ”

There is no shortage of generals under his command, but Wei Yan was transferred to the Weilie Army to serve as the captain of Guoyi, and the Hengye Army lacked a new captain, Deng Ji could not think of a replacement for the time being, so he had to wait for the return to Luoyang to discuss with Tian Feng and others. Captain Qushui of the Hengjiang Army, Guo Ren was seriously injured, and he didn't know if he could use it again, so he first set up Guo Tong and Gu Sheng, who were in charge of the Yellow River, and Xiahou Sheng, the military marquis under Gu Sheng.

Guo Tong's qualifications are far from sufficient, but there must not even be a general who is familiar with water warfare in the navy, and he has to appease the old navy of Guan Cheng and Guo Yi's lineage.

After the herald sealed Sun Guan as the general of Hengjiang and transferred Wei Yan to the Weilie army, in the next few days, Deng Zhong and others were still at ease, and Deng Ji was accompanied by 100 people from Dian Wei to lead the Black Iron Guard, patrolling the urban and rural areas of Wancheng, or talking with old farmers, or visiting the big families left behind, and trying to appease these new people under his rule.

Nanyang originally had a large number of surnames, and the wealthy family was deeply rooted, if it were not for the continuous military disasters, the plague has not ended, and it has suffered several hardships, and almost all the big families have moved away, that is, no matter how strong the soldiers of Sizhou are, it is difficult to implement the policy of the fourth-class people, and now with the treatment of the epidemic by female doctors, the policy of the fourth-class people will be promoted.

With more Zhang Ji's guidance, the female doctors and craftsmen are more and more effective in treating the plague, and there are more of them, and there are more people who can be treated, and Tai Shici's robbery of Zhang Ji from Nanyang that day is not a bad thing for the local people.

On the seventh day of Deng Ji's stay in Wancheng, more than ten people suddenly entered the Taishou Mansion to ask to see Deng Ji, and Deng Ji was still in the township, so these people have been waiting.

Later, Deng Ji returned to hear about it and asked the waiters to invite the leader to meet him.

The leader who entered the door was forty or fifty years old, wearing a short shirt, and his face was still a little frightened. ”

Deng Ji was very surprised: "Who are you?" Why thank me? ”

The man replied: "The villain's surname is Liu, his name is Xu, he is a merchant in Changsha, he often goes back and forth to Xiangyang to sell silk, and he hears the general's list of texts, and the industrial and commercial households are in the ...... of meritorious people."

Speaking of this, the man gradually stopped his voice, but Deng Ji immediately understood what he meant.

Merchants were not engaged in production and were not valued throughout the feudal period of China, and during the Han Dynasty, their status was outrageously lower, even worse than in later dynasties. At that time, not to mention thieves, the regular army did not have much psychological burden for robbing caravans; Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty sent his sons-in-law, merchants, and criminals to the army whenever there was a war, and the troops formed by them were to take on the most dangerous tasks.

There are a lot of caravans under Deng Ji's rule, but they can't be relied on, they are just passers-by———— Sizhou only has a first-class meritorious family can do business, and there are only three foreign merchants who stay in the first-class meritorious people, one is a merchant Zhen's family, one is Wang Wei Wang Deliang, who represents the government and Zhen's joint venture, and the other is Deng Ji's hometown, Su Xiu, a Nanyang merchant who delivered materials to Deng Ji many times in his early years.

Merchants have no political status at all in this era, and the safety of life and property is not guaranteed, although it is not easy to pay attention to it in Sizhou, but there is no hope for any prince other than Deng Ji, Deng Ji issued a list of rangers a few days ago, which has the meaning of attaching importance to industry and commerce, and treating everyone equally, this Liu Xu is shrewd, and he will come immediately when he finds the opportunity, and he must be doing well in business.

The posting of the list is to attract ambitious rangers to vote, and I don't want to attract a businessman first.

Seeing that Liu Xu couldn't continue, Deng Ji had already reacted, and said: "Since you and the others dare to enter the Taishou Mansion, it is expected that they have already found out that there are indeed merchants in the land of Sizhou who have first-class meritorious household registration, but only first-class meritorious people can do business, and the household should not be lightly given. ”

After Deng Ji finished speaking, he heard this person exhale softly, he should have relaxed, but he continued to crawl without speaking.

Deng Ji didn't care what he thought, and asked directly: "Do you want to become a naturalized Sizhou?" If there is no meritorious service, it is difficult to be a businessman in Sizhou. ”

Liu Xu finally raised his head and plucked up the courage to say: "The villain has nothing else to do, only in Xiangyang, he dared to find out that the general wants to build a warship, and he is easy to make craftsmen and materials with Cao Gong of Yanzhou, and I don't know what I can gain?" If the number is insufficient, the villain may be able to help......"

Hearing this, Deng Ji was surprised: "What? ”

was stared at by Deng Ji, Liu Xu fell to the ground and didn't dare to say anything more, which made Deng Ji anxious, got up and walked in front of him, and pulled him up: "Is this serious?" ”

"When...... Seriously! ”

"Take a seat! Come to the table! ”

Pressing Liu Xu to the guest seat, Deng Ji held back his impatience and waited for a while, before listening to him Xiaoyi said: "Jingzhou waterways are vertical and horizontal, and merchants from Nanjun and Changsha mostly carry goods by boat, so it is like a water outside the city. ”

"The grain in Nanjun is cheap, and the merchants buy more grain and return, and the villain is the same, only the rice and grain are heavy, and they can't be transported unless they are big ships."

Liu Xu seemed to be still shocked, and he spit out a little bit when he spoke, but when he heard this, Deng Ji was already sure that he really had a way, and he was overjoyed.

"The villain has nowhere to buy a big ship, so he has to build his own, so the merchants in Nanjun and Changsha counties have more ship materials, and there are occasionally people hiding more than ten zhang keel materials for building ships.

"If the general is still short of ship materials, the villain can dump his wealth and buy it on his behalf in the two counties!"

Being able to solve a big problem, Deng Ji was immediately happy, but his heart was still insufficient: "Who am I?" You don't need to pay for the purchase of materials, you may be looking for a shipwright to invest? ”

The shipwright problem is Liu Xu's real confidence, and other merchants don't have it: "The villain has been coming and going for a long time, and he has a little family capital, and the merchant ship is unwilling to fake outsiders, so he often raises his own boatsmith at home." In the first year of Jian'an, Huang Yu, a boatwright in Baishazhou, retired, and did not want his family to die of the epidemic, and no one supported him, so he was taken in by the villain! ”

Hearing this, Deng Ji was simply ecstatic, grabbed Liu Xu's shoulder and asked, "What do you want?" ”

Seeing the frightened and frightened appearance of the other party, Deng Jifang woke up and let go of his hand, and asked again: "If you get Huang Yu, I will allow the Ru family to be a first-class meritorious household, and in addition to buying ship materials for me, what else do you want?" ”

After asking, I suddenly remembered something again: "Only the dinosaur keel is inconvenient to transport!" ”

Liu Xu hurriedly explained: "The villain is very familiar with Xiangyang, and he can drive two boats together, connect the rope hanging, and ship the big keel, which can cover the straw and cover the eyes and ears of Liu Biao's navy." ”

If you want a first-class meritorious household registration, the other party only needs to help yourself, but it is a risk to buy ship materials to go north, Deng Ji doesn't believe that this Liu Xu has paid so much, but he has asked so little, and then asked: "What do you still want?" ”

Liu Xu bowed down again: "The villain has a nephew, the son of Ben Luohou Dou, a single name seal, because of the decline of the family and the villain, very brave, only ask the general to take in the left and right for use, so that the descendants of Luohou will no longer hold this cheap industry with the villain!" (To be continued.) )